Wikki Back at the Summit, Rangers Falter against Lobi
By Tunde Oyedele in Akure
Wikki Tourists are back on top of the Nigeria league after they beat Abia Warriors 2-0 at home and closest rivals Enugu Rangers were held to a 1-1 draw by visiting Lobi Stars.
Both Wikki and Rangers are on 47 points each after 27 matches, but the Bauchi have a superiors goals difference.
Godwin Obaje is now the leading scorer in the league after he finally netted his 14th goal for Wikki after Ibrahim Alhassan ‘Muazam’ opened scoring for the home team against Abia Warriors.
In Enugu, Ocheme Edoh scored his first goal for Rangers, but the home team’s joy was cut short when 10-man Lobi pegged back ‘The Flying Antelopes’ late in the second half.
Rivers United remains in third place with 44 points from 26 matches after they lost 1-0 at Sunshine.
Both Wikki and Rangers are on 47 points each after 27 matches, but the Bauchi have a superiors goals difference.
Godwin Obaje is now the leading scorer in the league after he finally netted his 14th goal for Wikki after Ibrahim Alhassan ‘Muazam’ opened scoring for the home team against Abia Warriors.
In Enugu, Ocheme Edoh scored his first goal for Rangers, but the home team’s joy was cut short when 10-man Lobi pegged back ‘The Flying Antelopes’ late in the second half.
Rivers United remains in third place with 44 points from 26 matches after they lost 1-0 at Sunshine.
Dele Olorundare’s free kick was all the Akure Gunners needed to snatch maximum points in an interesting Match Day 28 encounter in the Ondo State capital.
The home side started the game on a bright note when eventual match hero, Olorundare missed a free chance in the box that could have been the first goal on 11 minutes.
After missing series of opportunities and forcing the visitors to their half, Sunshine raised their game and trouble started for the Garden City boys when Referee Aliu Abdulahi from Kaduna sent Rivers United Assistant coach to the stands for indecent comment against a call on the 15th minute.
That was before their defender, Chinedu Ali was stretchered off and replaced by Ofem Inah in the 23rd minute.
Just as the match was nearing the half time, the home side got the needed goal on 41 minutes as free kick specialist Olorundare perfectly tucked in a beautiful strike that left goalkeeper Rotimi Sunday stranded.
The hosts had so similar advantages early in the game but the chances were wasted and when they had this free kick at the edge of the box as Seun Olulayo was coming in for Abiodun Joseph, Olorundare powered in the free kick with a thunderbolt that sent the stands on jubilation.
The half ended 1-0 in favour of the Akure Gunners.
During the re-start, Aremu Afeez, a former player of Sunshine Stars, produced some cheering moves, as the visitors had the chance to level score. Fredrick Obomate’s got the chance to score but his effort went far from the net.
No other goal was scored until the final whistle, and looking at a bigger picture, after missing glaring chances and losing some games scandalously on the road, Coach Solomon Ogbeide tried to convince many that he had found a winning formula at Akure Stadium. He said the victory came at the right time.
